
DAY ONE
HELLO, SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE
The last time we traveled was some time in July, last year. It was winter in Adelaide then, and the kids had so much fun! You can read more about our trip here, here, here, here, and here. That was the last “break” we had and I really needed another getaway soon!

Wishes do come true! Soon after, an invitation from Shangri-La came!

CHECK-IN

As soon as we set foot at the 5-star hotel, we were greeted by their cordial staff. They invited us to the Horizon Club to proceed check-in formalities while having tea. And I thought that was very considerate of them. The kids were famished after school! Some sandwiches and fruits were very much appreciated!

The whole staycation thingy wasn’t just all play! The kids learnt so much from this two-day-one-night-stay. Not necessarily academic wise, but still, something (morales, manners, table manners, gk, life, etc). Learning can take place anywhere, not just in school.
Daddy was helping the kids with the food and took the opportunity to teach them about vegetables and colours! I was actually very much impressed that he took such initiative and was secretly pleased. So now my two-year-old knows what is a cucumber (green), carrot (orange), and cranberry (red). Awesome!

Sonia, turing four, is more independent. So, we can pretty much leave her to choose her food on her own and eat them by herself. Her favourite was watermelon (you don’t see that on her plate because she had already savoured every bit of it), and mine’s the blackberries!


My two-year-old however needed some help with cutting the fruits. Daddy was on baby sitting duties while I was in-charge of capturing memories so they can one day look back and walk down the memory lane. 


Yup, my parents-in-law came too! I thought it would be fun to have three generations doing a staycation together. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a room available that was big enough to house all of us. But that was fine. We could still have fun together before they head home, and we could meet them the following day!

Our staycation has just begun and I have a good feeling about it! Everyone, especially Sonia and Arnold were immensely happy!





Once Arnold filled his stomach, he got impatient and couldn’t wait to check-in! I know, it’s only a one-night-stay, why bring a luggage? Well, if you have kids, you will know what’s in that box. I had to pack extra clothes just in case they spill the entire glass of juice on their shirt, many canisters of milk powder (they are heavy drinkers), milk bottles, swimsuits, baby shower, baby powder, diapers, baby snacks and what not! But let me tell you, the hassle was worth it, because we all enjoyed our staycation so so much!
TOWER WING’S HORIZON GRAND PREMIER ROOM

This is one of the largest club level rooms in the city at 72 square metres. Bright and spacious, clean and neat. Very welcoming! The room had a wide variety of amenities to keep us busy – from a bunch of magazines to a flat-screen TV that came with dozens of channels, including kids channels! Most importantly, there was free wi-fi. These days, we really couldn’t do without that, no?

The first thing my kids did upon entering the room was to the divide the bowl of fresh fruits. I was like “Seriously? Your mummy couldn’t wait to jump onto the king-sized bed lined with pure Egyptian cotton bed linen and take a slumber!”
It didn’t take them long to realise the complimentary welcome amenities for them lying on the roll-away bed.

“Mummy, these are for children! Not for you, okay? You cannot wear, you see, your feet are too big you know!” said Sonia.
LOL! Things kids say can sometimes tickle.

So they spent the next ten minutes raving about their “presents”.
Just then, the doorbell rang! Tommy Tang, the Housekeeping Manager came to introduce himself and delivered this.

Can you make a quick guess, what’s in the basket?
It was a little heavy and I thought it might contain some fruits but hadn’t we already had a bowl of fruits in the room?
To my delight, it was a pot of piping hot tea! Good for digestion, no?

Somewhere on the counter was also a box of sweet treats! This one, I SUPER LIKE!

Everyone knows, I love C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E, good C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E.
Sonia and Arnold got bored after a while and came asking for chocolates. That was too much sugar for kids to handle, so I distracted them and exclaimed “hey, look what’s in the toilet”!
Wrong move, because now, they refused to leave the toilet.

That was a sizeable bathroom! And of course, the kids’ favourite was the bath tub. Mine too! And to top that off, the shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and even hand soap were from L’Occitane! Totally love the fragrance!
These are all new to the kids. Previously when we were on vacation, we stayed in rented apartments and houses. They were nothing like this! “This” is something refreshing to them! So before we head out for dinner, we spent some time in the room fooling about. It’s also the first time, the kids refused the idea of going shopping. They always jump at any opportunity to go out and now, they requested to stay in? Uh?
Here are more pictures of us in the 72 square metres room:-

“Halo, my mummy says she wants to eat french fries and ice cream. Yakult, also. Hmm… and maybe some carrot biscuits. What time can you come?”
That coming from my girl, wow!

I really liked the room! There weren’t any sharp edges. All tables, chairs and cabinets have rounded corners. These might not bother many people, but they’re something mummies with young children look out for.

Anyway, we had negotiated. After finishing their milk, we WILL head to the malls. Period.
GETTING AROUND

If you drive like we do, you will be happy to learn that the hotel provides complimentary parking throughout your stay! If not, traveling about the city is still possible (and free) on their complimentary shuttle buses. It takes you to the Central Business District (CBD), selected Industrial parks and the main shopping and entertainment belt of Orchard Road.

Shangri-La, nested away from the city, allows you to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind you, yet you are never too far away from Orchard Road, where all the big, luxurious and established shopping malls are.
If you must know, we drove to Takashimaya because hub had craving for Mr. Obanyaki Pancake (red bean fish taiyaki), and I had craving for Ambush’s Codfish Pasta in Thai Basil Sauce! The kids are happy as long as we take them to the supermarket to get their snacks!
TIME TO HIT THE SACK

By the time we were back at the hotel, the kids got all excited because they could take a shower in the tub! For the first time, we took a really LONG shower. The kids were in the tub enjoying their warm bath while daddy headed off to the gym. We heard that The Health Club at Shangri-La Hotel was huge, even celebrities patronise the centre! How not to check it out?
So while hub checked out the gym, I bathed the kids and accompanied them to watch cartoons! They don’t always get to watch TV at home, so they were over the moon when I said “Children, TV time!” I’m surprised that they had Disney channels. Thumbs up! That kept them occupied for 30 minutes before I called it a day. Time to hit the sack!

The kids were too tired, they fell asleep really soon. So when hub was back, we had some “we” time, snacking on the chips we bought earlier at the supermarket, and talking about everything under the moon. I haven’t felt this relax in a long time!
What an awesome day! I’m already looking forward to my next staycation!
DAY TWO
RISE AND SHINE

Good morning, folks! The kids got up early, washed up, brushed their teeth and snuggle back in bed with a bottle of milk. Just then, my parents-in-law arrived! Good timing! Now hub and I could wash up and get dress while they help to babysit my gems. How fortunate I am, I know, right!

By the time all of us were ready, I was hungry. We’ve been to THE LINE on a few other occasions but we were always there for lunches or dinners. This is our first time there for breakfast and I’m totally looking forward to a hearty one!
COMPLIMENTARY BUFFET BREAKFAST @ THE LINE


The first station I was drawn to, was the fruit station! Unlike other breakfast buffets we had been to, THE LINE had an array of tropical fruits! Besides the common apples, oranges and watermelons, they had wax apples, dragon fruit, jackfruits, pineapples, anjou pears, etc. What a feast!

What’s better than best is their service. Sonia wanted to eat an apple but they came in a whole (not sliced). One of Shangri-La’s staff overheard our conversation and said “Sure, just a moment!” Within seconds, she served us a plate of sliced apples. That was very thoughtful and considerate!
Back at our table, I tried teaching Sonia fraction using her piece of watermelon. Don’t judge me! I’m not expecting her to know “1/4 + 3/4 = 1 whole” or anything along this line. I only want her to understand the concept of fraction and what it means. For the least, she knows a fraction represents a part of the whole. And that watermelon doesn’t grow on a tree. Everyday, she learns something new, and that’s enough for me.

After hub and Sonia were settled down, it was my turn to indulge. The Line is well reputed for having the longest buffet line in the city state with its elongated 16 theater kitchens. If you would like to have bread for breakfast, they have at least ten different types of bread for your pick. If you would like to have some sweet treats, they have no less than a dozen variety.

And if you would like to have some donuts, there were six different flavours to choose from. We were really spoilt for choices!

I liked not only the food at The Line, but also the people who worked in there. I was exceptionally impressed with Eskay, the chef who prepared prawn noodles.

Eskay was friendly, brilliant, humorous, attentive, and most importantly, has a knack of making his guests feel comfortable. One Westerner queuing just before me hadn’t ate anything like this before and he asked what he might recommend (for example, bee hoon, egg noodles, yellow noodles or kway teow). The first thing he asked was “Sir, where are you from?”, and a few other questions before customising a bowl of noodle for him. That’s what I’m saying – personalised service! Thumbs up for that!

After too much good food, we ended our breakfast with a nice cuppa Teh Tarik!

HEALTH CLUB

Two hours after breakfast, hub headed to the gym, again. There was a really good range of equipment but that resulted in a crowded gym. You just have to go during the non-peak period! Early morning before breakfast time is usually crowded but after that, the gym is quite peaceful.
Hub liked the gym equipments and I liked their changing rooms!

The male and female changing rooms each offer a sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and relaxation areas for all guests and members. Super awesome, right! I could stay in there for hours, but nope, I have to take a quick shower and look after my kids (it wasn’t right to exploit my parents-in-law, they came early to help look after my kids and I should be grateful that I even got to utilise the gym).
SWIMMING POOL

The pool was surrounded with lush greenery and lots of beautiful orchids. It reminded me of my first Christmas with hub because that was exactly what he gave me for Christmas – a bouquet of orchids.

So pretty!!!
And guess who we saw?

A friend by the pool! So CUTE!

That’s no wonder we saw this signage ->


The kids love the little fountain area so much, we spent the whole time there “catching water”!

Just listening to their laughter was better than Canon in D. So therapeutic! It takes away all stress and troubles!












Neither Sonia nor Arnold wanted to leave the pool but we had to because it was about to rain! Thankfully we went for a swim in the morning!
Of course, they cried when we “dragged” them out of the pool but soon beamed with delight when we “threw” them in a warm tub of water!

And remember what I said about learning on the go? We took two bottles and I taught them about buoyancy!

Again, don’t be too quick to judge. I’m not some kiasu mum, trying to teach my two and four-year-old “density = mass / volume”.
I simply have them fill up the bottle with water and see if it sank or floated! And then got them to empty the bottle and see if it sank or floated! That’s as far as Science is to preschoolers. Well, they had fun, and that was all that mattered! Yeah!
GARDEN WING ATRIUM

Before we check-out, we chanced upon this small but beautiful garden, by chance! The kids had so much fun playing “catching” there! But please, do not allow your tots to wander about on their own. You don’t want them falling into the pond.


Of course, Arnold never wins. Sonia is quite a fast runner!

But you see, it was a friendly match! So we taught them what good sportsmanship is and got them to take a photo together anyway. Jiejie gave Arnold a big bear hug and a kiss on his cheeks. Awww…

And so, our two-day-one-day staycation had come to an end. If I were to use only one word to describe Shangri-La, it had to be “luxury”. Everything, from the rooms to the food, services, and facilities, were delivered in a grand fashion. There’s a reason why U.S.A. president, Obama Barack decided to stay at Shangri-La amidst other reputable hotels. This place is worth checking out!
FAMILY STAYS FOR FREE PACKAGE
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore is currently offering the “Family Stays For Free” package at the “Horizon Grand Premier Room” priced at SGD 505++ per night for bookings made before 31 March 2016 and stays on Fridays and Saturdays only.
Privileges include:
- Complimentary breakfast for the family at The Line
- Late check-out at 6pm
- Complimentary extra bed upon request
- Complimentary welcome amenities for children under the age of 12
- Access to outdoor swimming pool and round-the-clock Health Club facilities
- Complimentary Wi-Fi and broadband Internet access
- Complimentary hourly guest shuttle bus to Orchard Road precinct
- Complimentary parking
*Terms and conditions applied.
Book now.